During the 2025–26 academic year, nearly 25 judges visited campus to participate in events as varied as symposia, lectures, panels and small-group coffee chats. In addition, some served as moot court and mock trial competition judges. Notably, more than half of the jurists were members of the federal judiciary. These interactions provide valuable learning experiences for students. Some of those who came to Athens are listed.
U.S. Court of Appeals Chief Judge Jeffrey Sutton spoke to students during a January coffee chat.
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit: Chief Judge Jeffrey S. Sutton, Judge John K. Bush
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit: Judge Britt C. Grant
• U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia: Judge Ana C. Reyes
• U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia: Judge Tiffany R. Johnson, Judge William M. “Billy” Ray II (J.D.’90), Senior Judge Richard W. Story (J.D.’78), Magistrate Judge Anna W. Howard (J.D.’10)
• U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia: Judge Leslie Abrams Gardner, Judge Tilman E. “Tripp” Self III (J.D.’97)
• U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia: Magistrate Judge Benjamin W. Cheesbro (J.D.’10), Magistrate Judge Brian K. Epps (J.D.’98)
• U.S. Court of Federal Claims: Judge Ryan T. Holte, Judge Edward H. Meyers
• Georgia Supreme Court: Justice John J. Ellington (J.D.’85), Chief Justice Nels S.D. Peterson, Justice Andrew A. Pinson (J.D.’11)
• Georgia Court of Appeals: Judge Elizabeth Gobeil (J.D.’95)
• Other State and County Courts: Judge Norman Barnett (J.D.’10) (Magistrate Court, Cobb County), Judge Nhan-Ai Du (Juvenile Court, Gwinnett County), Judge LaTisha Dear Jackson (Superior Court, DeKalb County), Judge Diana Rugh Johnson (formerly with the Juvenile Court, DeKalb County), retired Judge C. LaTain “Tain” Kell, Sr. (J.D.’87) (Superior Court, Cobb County), Judge Bonnie Chessher Oliver (Superior Court, Georgia Northeastern Judicial Circuit)
